1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging lens, an optical apparatus equipped with the imaging lens, and a method for manufacturing the imaging lens.
2. Related Background Art
A macro (micro) lens has hitherto been proposed, which is capable of performing close range photography from an infinitely distant object up to a shooting magnification on the order of −1.0 (refer to, e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-181390).
According to the prior art exemplified by Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-181390, however, there is a large moving amount of especially a first lens group among the respective lens groups upon focusing, and it is difficult due to this large moving amount to be used for an interchangeable lens equipped with a drive mechanism within a lens barrel, which is conceived as a mainstream type of lens at the present. Moreover, in the case of desiring a length of the lens barrel to be kept short upon focusing on an infinitely distant object and desiring a small-sized and compact lens barrel as well, a large amount of lens extension is hard to build up a structure of the lens barrel. Moreover, in the case of reducing the moving amount of particularly the first lens group while accelerating the downsizing on the extension of the prior arts, it is difficult to control variations in spherical aberration and curvature of field due to focusing, and there is a necessity for further improvements.